HITTING THE BOARDWALK: Marina Bay draws crowds

There are plenty of reasons why locals flock to Marina Bay in droves during the hot summer months, especially since it's one of the few al fresco dining spots with easy and free parking.

KRISTEN WALSH

On a steamy summer evening in August, Bob Allain of Marshfield knew just the way to beat the heat. He and his family loaded on their boat and headed for Marina Bay in Quincy.

Allain, 57, grew up in Quincy, and likes to dock his boat at a friend’s slip in the marina along the boardwalk whenever he gets the chance. On this particular day, he was there to celebrate his daughter’s birthday at one of their favorite restaurants, Captain Fishbones.

“I like the atmosphere, there are pretty views, and everyone is accommodating,” Allain said.

There are plenty of reasons why locals flock to Marina Bay in droves during the hot summer months, especially since one of the few al fresco dining spots with easy and free parking.

Marina Bay is incredibly accessible. For anyone who has driven in circles trying to find street parking in Boston, only to shell out the cash for the overpriced lots or garages, pulling into the spacious lots at the entrance to the boardwalk at Marina Bay is usually accompanied by a loud sigh of relief.

It’s also a hugely popular spot with a view that can’t be beat. The Boston skyline dots the horizon across Dorchester Bay, with the buildings of the University of Massachusetts Boston and the John F. Kennedy Library in the forefront.

“Marina Bay is a great resource for the residents of the surrounding area,” said Patty Thomas, 38, of Quincy.

Thomas credited cities like Washington D.C., Chicago, and Miami as making great use of their waterfront locations, and wished there were more places like Marina Bay in Massachusetts.

“The only thing that would make it better is to have a little more variety, more bars and restaurants for us to choose from,” Thomas said.

Marina Bay offers a sense of comfort and a lively atmosphere. The boardwalk attracts regular customers whom staff know by name, and many of them visited for the first time on advice of a friend who had been there years earlier.

The bars and restaurants lining the boardwalk each have a unique identity, so there’s a spot for a group of friends hanging out at a bar, or two people meeting for a first date.

You can walk from one end of the boardwalk to the other in less than five minutes, and if you come on a busy Friday or Saturday night, you could find yourself waiting to get into one of the smaller outdoor dining or bar spaces.

Waterclub has a covered outdoor patio and bar, as well as a function room and nightclub indoors.

Captain Fishbones' outdoor café is the closest you can get to eating on the water without actually getting soaked, and it’s almost always packed.

On weeknights, Marina Bay is a convenient stop for the workforce of Quincy and the South Shore who don’t necessarily want to trek into Boston to meet friends or to unwind from a busy day.

But on weekends, the crowd heading to Marina Bay up their game. Siro’s or Skyline are spots for a nice dinner date, or special occasion, and a place for singles to meet new people.

“If you’re looking for a great place to grab a drink, eat some food, and meet that special someone, Waterclub is the place to be,” said Hung Lam, 25, of Quincy, a bartender at Waterclub, where they serve pub food at an outdoor bar.

Wander around the boardwalk at any time of the afternoon or night and you’ll find people walking dogs, sitting on the benches overlooking the docked boats, and even a man in a striped black and white shirt and red scarf taking people on romantic gondola rides, as if they were on a canal in Venice.

In the summer, bartenders along the boardwalk serve out of giant ice-filled coolers.

But any of the bartenders are aslo quick to recommend mixed cocktails or one of Waterclub’s specialty Waterbowls, which is a fruity mix of juice and rum that is served in an actual fishbowl, with as many straws as requested.

“Waterclub is the best of both worlds for young adults,” said Kevin Mason, 27 of Quincy, also a bartender at Waterclub. “Outside, you can relax with friends while enjoying the hometown sports teams on our big screen television. Or you can dance the night away with one of our DJ’s in the night club.”

Lauren Moskato and Krista Heraty, both 23 of South Boston, spend many weekends at Marina Bay, where Heraty’s boyfriend works.

They credited a cheaper cab fare, and the low-key atmosphere as some of the best attributes of Marina Bay.

“To be on the water is great, and it’s nice to get out of the city since we live there,” Moskato said.

Like many other Marina Bay patrons, the two women said they often come to get a drink or dinner after spending the day at the beach.

Just off the boardwalk, the Beach Club is separate from the other bars and restaurants, so when you’re there on a busy day, with the music playing loudly, it’s hard not to imagine you’re in some exotic location other than Quincy.

Marina Bay is branching out in other ways to bring in new customers. Skyline recently hosted a sold-out comedy show, featuring Las Vegas performers Jim Colliton and Steve Bjork. Waterclub occasionally has musicians perform in the outdoor seating area.

Earlier this summer, the Marina Bay Beach Club held a fashion show featuring designer Betsey Johnson’s work.